Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show- Its Impact on His Life and H

Undergraduate Review 1988 Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work Bill Wetzel '89 Illinois Wesleyan University Follow this and additional works at: https

Undergraduate Review

1988

Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work

Bill Wetzel '89

Illinois Wesleyan University

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev

Recommended Citation

Wetzel '89, Bill (1988) "Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work," Undergraduate Review: Vol 2 : Iss 1 , Article 8

Available at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8

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Alfred Stieglitz &

Its Impact on

His Life and

Bill Wetzel

Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H

• W"j'2tP' 'rif 'n" ~'? t

The transformation of Alfre( promoter in 1907

to a self,refle

to changes occurring in society personal dimensions to his met

I

Armory Show marked a clinwc public The

results of the

Anne towards his personal goal to

est The

decade encompassing

\1t

United

States

The

alterations American culture

The

ninetec replaced

by

new input

The pr( between a new generation of

"i

of the more traditional "custod The

"custodians" were a nun

to

oppose change from ninetee describes

the

values of these

cc Howells, stating

that

Howells ' civilization

was

treading a sure toward moral and material

imp decisions about this forward

mt people."2 However, in his vie"

of

inherited tradition had

some standards."3

The

"custodians"

I the future would only result frc

a continuation of American ni:

an

allegiance to three central c expresses, "these were first,

th

values; second,

the

inevitabilit and third,

the

importance of

b

maintenance of past tradition·

"custodians" were concerned

The

"iconoclasts" were encc values under modem conditio

work

was

accomplished

by

mal pushing for change

in

society

life

in modem

times were a

sui was no

longer a need to

folloW' from tradition

had

been gainir points

out that

"Well before

1~

been partly rejected

by

some

p grounds "6 The goals of these • radical; however, their questio ideas originating in Europe

2 Undergraduate Review, Vol 2, Iss 1 [1988], Art 8

https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8

The transformation of Alfred Stieglitz from a pioneer modem art promoter in 1907

to a self-reflective photographer

by 1920 can

be linked

to changes occurring in society at the time However, there are also personal di.mensions

to

his metamorphosis

that

are unique

to

him

The Armory Show marked a climax of his support

of

modem art for the public

The

results of the Armory Show began his return movement towards his personal goal to establish photography

as art

The

decade encompassing World War I

was

a period of change in the United States

The

alterations involved nearly all segments of American culture

The

nineteenth-century ideals and goals were replaced

by

new input

The

process

of

change involved a struggle between a new generation of "iconoclasts" who challenged the authority

of

the more traditional "custodians"

of culture

The

"custodians" were a number of conservatives, organized loosely,

to oppose change from nineteenth-century traditions Henry

May describes the values of these conservatives represented

by

William Dean Howells, stating

that

Howells "had

always

believed

that

American civilization

was

treading a sure path, whatever the momentary failures, toward moral and material improvement."1 He also believed

that

"basic decisions about this forward movement could

be

best made

by

the whole people."2 However, in his

view,

"men

of education and ability and even

of

inherited tradition had some special responsibility

for

maintaining standards."3

The

"custodians" promoted an optimism

that

success in the future would only result from preservation of the past They desired

a continuation of American nineteenth-century civilization, through

an

allegiance to three central doctrines of

that

era Henry

May expresses, "these

were

first, the certainty and universality

of

moral values; second, the inevitability, particularly in America, of progress;

and third, the importance of traditional literary culture."4

The maintenance of past tradition

was

the

key

to success

as

far

as

the

"custodians" were concerned

The

"iconoclasts" were encouraging re-examination of traditional values under modem conditions They were

not

an organization: their work

was

accomplished

by

many indirectly related movements

that

were pushing for change in society They believed

that

"the events of daily life in modem times were a sufficient source of moral value."s There

was no

longer a need to follow precedents set

by

the past This break from tradition had been gaining strength for several years Henry May points out

that

"Well before

1912

the dominant American credo had been partly rejected

by

some people

on

simple, instinctive, emotional grounds."6

The

goals of these early opponents

of

tradition were

not radical; however, their questions paved the

way for

more devastating ideas originating in Europe

Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H

Henry May, in The End of American Innocence, emphasizes that the biggest single shock to tradition came from European art "Not literature but

the

graphic arts,"

he

argues, "gave American taste its sharpest jolt during

the

prewar years

"7 The Armory Show of 1913 was

an

art and

thought from Europe that

exposed

the gap between American and European ideas Americans, who had

accepted

the

Ash

Can

school

as the

model for progressive art, were

not prepared for

the

European innovations displayed

at the

International Exhibition

of Modem

Art According

to

Henry

May,

"Only a handful

of Americans, Alfred Stieglitz in his gallery, Gertrude

Stein in

Paris, had seen

this new storm on the

horizon

"8 Stieglitz did not playa

direct role

in the

organization

of

the Armory Show, but his studio

was

frequented

by Arthur

Davies

and

some

of the others who shaped the exhibition Judith Zilczer

noted that

while

"most

of the

members

of

the Association [AAPS] belong to

the

realistic tradition

of

Robert Henri,

the

exhibition which they sponsored

had greater affinities with

the modem art

promoted

at

Alfred Stieglitz's Photo Secession Gallery

"9

Stieglitz played a vital role

in

educating a

few

artists

and

promoters

in

America about current European art

His work promoting

modem

art

in

New

York

helped make

the

Armory Show possible He was comfortable

in

his small gallery

that

allowed intimate

contact

between visitors, artists,

and

himself Stieglitz

was not

attempting to overthrow traditional cultural values:

he was carrying out,

in

his own style,

an

attempt to bring modernism

into

American art

Stieglitz did

not

fit either

of

Henry May's characteristics

of the

extreme radical; those being "sweeping irrationalism" and "unmoral materialism".l0

He

was acting

on

carefully thought

out

goals

that he applied

to

"291" and

Camera Work

Money

was not

a primary concern

of

Stieglitz either;

he

supported artists

out of

his own pocket and

was always near

the

financial ruin

that

eventually caught up with him

The success

of the

"iconoclasts"

in

shedding the traditions

of the

nineteenth-century took time

There was

no

single event

that

marked

the

end

of

the period

of change, however,

the

war

in

Europe brought

home a new image of humanity-inhumanity The

optimism

of the

"custodians" and

their

movement towards a brighter future They

had tried to create an image

of the

war

that

presented

the

British

as the morally superior society and

the

Germans

as

barbarians Paul More and Irving Babitt, two conservatives who defended traditional values, admitted,

There is nevertheless a touch of the irrational and the indecent in our

30

_ _ _ ~"', ,+.""·

frenzy of bitterness towards tha

gloat over every tale of brutaU~

circles 11

The Allies won the war, but the

The

war's effect pushed the p

"iconoclasts."

The

three central were shown to be false during

tl

destined to a certain and bright clearly in the aftermath of the \l

by both sides in the struggle TI

optimistic beliefs

in unh The

importance

of

American

lit some time

The

popularity of

eJl and events such

as

the Armory:

to America

Stieglitz

was

a part of this

cm

"modem" beliefs Stieglitz, the 1 many who helped provide back~

but the

the time

mm him His work characterized his

its ability to react positively to r Armory Show, which freed

muc:

to

by traditionalists, that caused

the

American public

Stieglitz's attempt to expose

t

on his longer struggle to establis photography lasted his lifetime, varied During the 1890's he en_

America

to

experiment with

the;

variety

of

different subjects

as tl:

is no

reason why the American pictures

by

photographic means remains

that he

does

not

do

so

: how to

catch

up with Europe

in

In what respects are our phol

compared with those of our En,

our technique, fully equal to th

sense for composition and for photograph of artistic

value-ir

4 Undergraduate Review, Vol 2, Iss 1 [1988], Art 8

https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8

118

·nocence, emphasizes that the 1m

European art "Not

I, "gave American taste its

be

Armory Show of

1913 was rom

Europe that exposed the

~as

Americans, who had

leI for

progressive art, were

not isplayed

at the International

,Henry

May,

"Only a handful

ery,

Gertrude Stein in Paris,

le organization

of

the Armory

I.rthur

Davies and some

of ,dith

Zilczer

noted

that

while

(AAPS]

belong to the realistic

1 which they sponsored had Imoted

at Alfred Stieglitz's

:xi

a vital role in educating a

)ut current European art

York helped make the Armory

.s small gallery that allowed

i, and himself Stieglitz lnal

It

to bring modernism into

ay's

characteristics

of

the rrationalism" and "unmoral

ly

thought out goals

that he .ey was

not a primary concern

It

of his own pocket and

was ually caught

up

with him

The the

traditions

of the

:l

the end of the period

of Light

home a new image

of red

the optimism

of the

Is

a brighter future They had

:>resented

the British

as the

~ as barbarians Paul More and

~nded

traditional values,

:xtional and the indecent in our

frenzy of bitterness towards that country [Germany], and in readiness to

gloat over every tale of brutality This is particularly the case in academic circles 1l

The Allies won the war, but the "brutality" exposed created a mood of

future

The

war's effect pushed the public towards

the

position

of the

"iconoclasts."

The

three central doctrines of the "custodian" position were shown to be false during this decade America

was

no longer destined to a certain and bright future Choices and costs were viewed clearly in the aftermath

of the war in Europe Injustices were committed

by

both sides in

the

struggle

The

reality

of the

decade left

less

room for

the

optimistic beliefs in universal moral values of the conservatives

The

importance

of

American literature had been

on the

decline for some time

The

popularity

of

experimental literature had been rising, and events such

as

the Armory Show brought more European influence

to America

Stieglitz

was

a part of this change from "traditional" values to

"modem" beliefs Stieglitz,

the

modem art promoter, was only

one of many who helped provide background support for

the shift in values,

but the

changes

of the

time must be remembered when considering him His work characterized his optimism

in the

American public and its ability to react

positively to new experiences Ironically it was the Armory Show, which freed much of society from

the

old values clung

to

by

traditionalists,

that

caused Stieglitz to reconsider his optimism in the American public

Stieglitz's attempt to expose

the

public to modem

art is

a variation

on

art His interest in photography lasted his lifetime, but his personal involvement in it varied During the 1890's he encouraged amateur photographers in America to experiment with the new

hand

camera and to explore a variety

of

different subjects

as

the British were doing

He wrote, "There

is

no reason why the American amateur should

not tum

out

as

beautiful pictures

by

photographic means

as

his English brethren

the

fact remains

that

he does

not

do

SO.,,12 Stieglitz offered the public advice on

1890's:

In what respects are our photographs deficient, more especially when

compared with those of our English colleagues? Granting that we are, in

our technique, fully equal to the English, what we lack is that taste and sense for composition and for tone, which is essential in producing a photograph of artistic

value-in other words,

a picture 13

Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H

32

Stieglitz's push for the growth amateur photography in America of

failure

of the

public to follow his lead convinced him

of the

creative limitations

of

the majority

of American photographers

By 1897 the

new

hand

camera had changed

the

course of photography Stieglitz recognized

the

freedom

the

new camera provided its operator to move around, however,

he

also realized

the

impact

of the

new camera

on the public He wrote,

Photography as a fad is well-nigh on its last legs, thanks primarily to the bicycle craze Those seriously interested in its advancement do not

look upon this state of affairs as a misfortune, but as a disguised blessing, inasmuch as photography a had been classed as sport by nearly all

of

those who deserted its ranks and fled to the present idol, the bicycle 14

Stieglitz took the loss of his a rejection interest in photography as of

new medium

He

began a withdrawal into a smaller public who were

not

a part

of

what

he

considered

the philistine masses

He

criticized

the

camera manufacturers who encouraged

"photography-by-the yard"

with their slogan

"You press

the

button, and

we

do

the

rest

"15 As Stieglitz refined the

writing to,

he

began to explore and explain more technical matters for his public

Stieglitz offered technical advice and compositional suggestions to readers in various photographic journals, although

he

did

not

always follow his own advice

He

had dismissed "express trains" and "racehorse scenes"

as

"rarely wanted in pictures," yet these were

the

subjects

of two

of

his most

well~known

photographs from

the tum of the

century:

The Hand of Man, 1902, and Going to the Post, Morris Park, 1904 16

Although at times he

did not

express it, Stieglitz had

an

open mind to untried areas for

the

photographer to explore His own photography

is proof

of the

many subjects he experimented

With

Movements to new subject areas, and new methods

of

presenting old subjects, were consistent throughout Stieglitz's life Though

he

ignored some

of

his own advice, Stieglitz

was

an encouragement and a source

of

instruction

to those who read

him

before the formation

of Camera Work

The

changes in Stieglitz can

be

demonstrated in

Camera Work

between its founding in

1903

and its closing in

1917 In

the first issue, Stieglitz stated

the

purposes

he

felt the magazine would fulfill

He wrote, only a work

that

displays "individuality and artistic worth, regardless

of

school, or contains some exceptional feature

of

technical merit, or such

as

exemplifies some treatment worthy

of

consideration, will find recognition in these pages

"17 According to Stieglitz, he

pictorial to dominate the

magazine; however, literary

contributions

were

also to

be it

literary combination

was

"not i primer, but rather a magazine

t

By 1903 Stieglitz had abandont could produce successful photOJ

Work was

designed to offer

info: photographers Along with

Cal movement, based in

New York,

to offer support and exposure t(

In 1906

the Photo Secession hold an exhibition the

followi~

had been made in pictorial pho for a large

show, the

group dedi Avenue, New

York

Here they ( American and foreign art never United States Along with a

foe

show works in other art mediun

be worthwhile

The

studio at

2~

selection

of

exhibitions there,

c

of 1906

By 1908 the focus of Camera'

direction of Stieglitz Edward

SI Stieglitz

to

what

was

occurring

i photographic exhibit at "291" p:

painter, Pamela Colman Smith, year Stieglitz presented his first modernism with a show featurir:

guided Stieglitz towards modem

the

value

of the

new style he

WE early reactions

of

Stieglitz in

hi~

methods

of expression employee

Under Steichen's guidance, Stl

modern painting and decided tha

which eliminated the need for tr

Steichen took Stieglitz to an ex:

Stieglitz could not believe that

"Why there's nothing there but here and there "19

Unfortunately, one of Stieglitz's with those who were puzzled by

1908,

nearly all the shows at

"2~

6 Undergraduate Review, Vol 2, Iss 1 [1988], Art 8

https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8

r photography in America llow

)f

American photographers

anged the course of

edom the new camera provided

,e also

realized the impact

of

.

.,

its last legs, thanks primarily to

~ted in its advancement do not

tune, but as a disguised blessing,

ssed as a sport by nearly all

of

the present idol, the bicycle 14

lotography as a rejection of his ledium He began a withdrawal

rt of what he considered the era

manufacturers who

mi" with their slogan "You

As Stieglitz refined the

I explore and explain more compositional suggestions to

;,

although he did

not always

:I "express

trains" and "racehorse

et these

were

the subjects

of

is from

the

tum

of the century:

Ie Post, Morris Park, 1904 16

, Stieglitz had an open mind to q>lore

His own photography nted with Movements to new is

~nting

old subjects, were

lough he ignored some

of his

lIlent

and a source

of

instruction ltion of

Camera Work

>nstrated

in

Camera Work

:>sing

in

1917

In the first issue, magazine would fulfill He

duality and artistic worth, :xceptional feature

of technical

ment

worthy of consideration,

According to Stieglitz, he

magazine; however, literary

contributions were also to be included For Stieglitz the pictorial and literary combination

was

"not intended to make this a photographic primer, but rather a magazine for the more advanced photographer

"18

By 1903 Stieglitz had abandoned completely his optimism that everyone

Work was

designed to offer infonnation to a small number

of photographers Along with

Camera Work,

the Photo Secessionist movement, based in New

York, was

fonned under Stieglitz's guidance

to offer support and exposure to photography

In

1906

the Photo Secession, under Stieglitz direction, decided to hold an exhibition the following Spring

of

the accomplishments

that

had been made in pictorial photography Unable to find adequate space for a large

show,

the group decided they would lease rooms at

291

Fifth Avenue, New

York

Here they could present small exhibitions

of

American and foreign art never publically displayed before in the United States Along with a focus

on

photography, they planned to show works in other art mediums from time to time which they felt to

be worthwhile

The

studio at

291

Fifth Avenue, and

the

brilliant selection

of

exhibitions there, opened with its first show in November

of

1906

By 1908

the focus

of Camera Work

and

"291" had

shifted, under the direction of Stieglitz Edward Steichen, a close personal friend, exposed Stieglitz to what

was

occurring in European art In

1907

the first

non, photographic exhibit at

"291"

presented the work

of

an American painter, Pamela Colman Smith, who

was

living in England Within a year Stieglitz presented his first

of

many exhibitions of European modernism with a show featuring drawings

by

Auguste Rodin Steichen guided Stieglitz towards modernism

It

took Stieglitz time to appreciate the value

of

the new style

he was

viewing George Roeder describes the early reactions

of

Stieglitz in his attempt to understand

the

new methods

of

expression employed

by modem artists:

Under Steichen's guidance, Stieglitz became increasingly intrigued with

modem painting and decided that it served as a complement to photography, which eliminated the need for traditional painting As late as 1907, when Steichen took Stieglitz to an exhibition of Cezanne watercolors in Paris, Stieglitz could not believe that they cost 1000 francs each, exclaiming,

"Why there's nothing there but empty paper with a few splashes of color here and there "19

Unfortunately, one of Stieglitz's later weaknesses was his impatience

their first glance at modernism After

1908,

nearly all the shows at

"291"

were non,photographic

Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H

34

Paralleling the changes overcoming the Photo Secession's gallery

points out:

Around the time of the first art shows at "291", Camera Work began to

devote more space to European painting The magazine often printed reproductions of the work of leading European modernist artists, including Matisse, Rodin, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Cezanne Also published were essays on the "291" group and reprinted newspaper and magazine reviews

of the gallery's shows Camera Work also included literary material, including poetry, the selected letters ofVincent Van Go?lt, and the writings

of

Shaw, Maeterlinck, and Bergson 20

The link between "291" and from Camera Work was evident the opening

of the

changes Stieglitz brought

to them

reflected a new

purpose he

believed

he

was moving toward

Stieglitz's new ambitions involved his optimism in the

public

He believed they would

come around to

his position

on

modernism if

they were exposed

to

it

He

felt his

promotion of

modernism was more

important, but related to

his work

to

advance photography

as

art

In

a December

1911 letter to

Sadakichi

Hartmann,

shortly after

returning from Europe, Stieglitz indicates

the

purpose for

which he was working

at the time:

There is certainly no art in America today, what is more, there is, as yet, no genuine love for it Possibly Americans have no genuine love for anything, but I am not hopeless In fact I am quite the contrary The trouble with most photographers and for that matter also with painters, and other people, is, that they are always trying to do something which

is outside of themselves In consequence they produce nothing that means anything to those who have the gift of intuition for truth: all else is really not worth

a tinker's damn 2/

Stieglitz continued,

I am glad that my pictures gave you some pleasure The number [Camera Work 36} seems to have come as a breath of fresh air to a great many people It's a pity I can't afford more time for this branch of the work;

but daily I realize more and more, that in sacrificing my own photography

I have gained something

I

could never have possessed, and that is certainly

a bigger thing; a bigger thing than merely expressing oneself in making photographs, no matter hOw marvelous they mi?ltt be 22

During this period between the "291" Armory formation of and the

was doing a service for

both

photography and art in Americ~

dividends

Stieglitz's belief that he was

n

in

some

of

his

other

correspondl place His mission was clear

to

1

Pratt,

a

member of the

Photo

S

letter was a response to Pratt's p

Work

was publishing too many a

Don't worry that I am not loa graphy quite as much as ever j

greater But as I once told yOt<

that matter the artists themsel4

means, as I understand that tl

the real meaning of art That

at "291" but through Camera' such a conclusive manner that

me it is not a question of pers theory; I approach the subject I

aUy.23

Stieglitz's attempts to be impers

the

world

of art and

his own

fie]

three

weeks before

the

Armory modernists 'revitalizers.' 'That's

They're breathing the

breath

of dead

",24

The Armory Show was a turr

other "iconoclasts." Ironically, : photographs at

"291" for the fir:

Exhibition of Modem

Art

Stie

of the

big show,

and

his presenl foreshadows events

to

come

In

1913, he wrote,

During the show of Post ImpreSi

at "291" It will be the logical forgetting photography and I •

test I wonder whether it wiU : vital 25

At this time, Stieglitz still beli

best way to

measure its value I

8 Undergraduate Review, Vol 2, Iss 1 [1988], Art 8

https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8

he Photo Secession's gallery thur

Wertheim points out:

t "291 ", Camera Work began to

ng The magazine often printed )pean modernist artists, including

d Cezanne Also published were newspaper and magazine reviews

also included literary material, ncentVan Gogh, and the writings

n'k was evident from the opening

z brought to them reflected a : toward

i position on modernism if they ,n

more ,vance

photography

as

art

In

a mann, shortly after returning

pose

for which he

was working

wy, what is more, there is, as ericans have no genuine love for

I am quite the contrary The

r that matter also with painters, tys trying to do something which

they produce nothing that means

ttuition for truth: all else is really

epleasure The number [Camera

~th of fresh air to a great many ime for this branch of the work;

rl sacrificing my own photography

ve possessed, and that is certainly ely expressing oneself in making

they might be 22

)n of "291" Armory and the vas

photography and art in America

that

would eventually return dividends

that he

was moving

modem

art forward

was

apparent

in some

of

his

other

correspondence before

the

Armory Show took place His mission was clear to himself

when he

wrote to George D

Pratt, a member

of the

Photo Secession,

on

December 7,

1912 The

letter

was

a response to Pratt's protest in a previous letter

that Camera Work was

publishing too many articles

on modem

art Stieglitz wrote:

Don't worry that I am not looking dfter the interests of pictorial photo, graphy quite as much as ever As a matter of fact my interest was never greater

But

as I once told you that before the people at large, and for that matter the artists themselves, understand what photography really means, as I understand that term, it to is essential for them be taught the real meaning of art That is what I am attempting to do, not only

at "291" but through Camera Work and this work I am trying to do in

such a conclusive manner that it will have been done for all time With

me it is not a question of personal likes and dislikes; of not a question theory; I approach the subject in a scientific way, objectively, imperson, ally 23

Stieglitz's attempts to be impersonal about art were unsuccessful He

belief

that the new images would free

the

world

of

art and his own field

of

photography

In

January

1913,

only three weeks before

the

Armory Show began, "Stieglitz called

the modernists 'revitalizers.' 'That's what they are,

the

whole bunch

They're breathing

the

breath

of

life into

an art that is

long since dead

",24 The

Armory Show

was

a turning

point for Stieglitz as well as many

other

"iconoclasts." Ironically, Stieglitz's showing

of

his own photographs

at

"291" for

the

first time coincided with

the

International Exhibition

of Modem

Art Stieglitz's

return

to photography

is

a result

of the

big show, and his presentation

of

his own work

at the

same time foreshadows events to come

In

a letter to Ward Muir, January 30,

1913, he wrote,

During the show of Post Impressionism I shall exhibit my own photographs

at "291" It will be the logical thing for me to do So not you see I am forgetting photography and I am putting my own work to a diabolical test I wonder whether it will stand it it it If does not, contains nothing vital 25

At this time, Stieglitz still believed a public test of his work was the

to measure its value

In

this letter,

he also expressed,

Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H